.
A Close Look At Cavities
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends that a child's first dental visit occur shortly after the first tooth pushes it's way into the mouth, usually between the ages of six and twelve months. Though many general practitioners will happily treat your child, another option is a pediatric dentist who specializes in dentistry for kids and adolescents through the age of 18.
The first visit will generally familiarize child and family with the dentist and office, but proper preparation for this visit begins long before the actual day of the appointment. Indeed, your attitude directly influences your child's behavior. A parent who is anxious about dentistry will often unknowingly transmit that fear to the child, creating a phobia of the dentist before the actual visit and negative behavior at the appointment.
Parents can use this ability to influence to their advantage by describing the dentist as a friendly tooth-counter and smile cleaner and by helping children to keep their teeth healthy and bright. It is good to prepare your child for what to expect, but avoid words like "drill" or "shot," which might invoke unnecessary fear. The book, Open Wide: Tooth School Inside by Laurie Keller is a wonderful, kid-friendly resource for families.
To help reduce the anxiety in the waiting room, ask the dental office to send you the necessary paperwork early and fill it out before the day of your appointment. Some offices will even encourage bringing your child in for a pre-visit tour so he or she will be more comfortable on the return visit.
Be prepared to accompany your child into the dental room during the first visit, which normally consists of an examination of your child's teeth and education for you. The dentist will discuss developmental expectations, nutrition and feeding, oral hygiene, prevention of cavities, fluoride recommendations, trauma prevention, habit counseling and behavior modeling for future visits.
When a child is younger than three, he or she can sit on your lap to receive treatment. Children older than three—though this may come as a surprise to some parents—generally behave better and have a more positive experience when they are treated by the dentist on their own. Don't be alarmed by a few tears. Crying is a normal reaction to new experiences and normally goes away after the dentist and child develops a rapport.
Trust develops through patient and doctor communication, while the technique "tell-show-do" helps guide behavior. First, the dentist tells the child what to expect, then performs a short demonstration, followed by the dentist performing the action on the child. Most dentists reward children for good behavior, which reinforces their actions and establishes an expected pattern of behavior for future appointments. In the end, not only will your child receive excellent dental care that is specialized to their age and personality, but early cooperation on the part of the family will contribute to a positive and painless experience for everyone involved.
© Copyright Healthology, Inc.
Sunday, December 31, 2006
Thursday, December 21, 2006
Goodbye CIGNA. We Won't Miss You.
December 31, 2006 will see the end of CIGNA as a player in the discount dental plan business.
Whether you call it the "CIGNA Dental Network Access" plan, "CIGNAPlus Savings" or the "Preferred Network Access", these plans were some of the most popular reduced fee for service dental programs available to the dentally uninsured. Not only was it affordable but it also had well over 60,000 participating dental providers across the USA making its network of participating dentists easily the largest of any discount dental program. For a few years there, CIGNA was the undisputed leader in discount dental plans.
So what happened to the plan which had everything going for it? I'll tell you what happened and I'll describe it with one word; unreliable! You simply could not count on the dentists that CIGNA provides its members to accept this plan as each dentist could arbitrarily decide which patients they took which ones they didn't. Imagine paying a full year membership of front to a role in the CIGNA plans only to go to a dentist on the list and be told by a 19-year-old receptionist with illusions of Godhood "Sorry, but we no longer take that plan".
It was experiences like this that kept piling up and piling up until running a discount program became one big headache for CIGNA. And who needs a headache? No one does which is why CIGNA got out of the discount dental plan game.
It's just too bad that instead of improving its discount dental plan by making all its dental providers sign a contract requiring them to honor their contractual commitments, CIGNA took the easy way out.
Goodbye CIGNA. We Won't Miss You.
Whether you call it the "CIGNA Dental Network Access" plan, "CIGNAPlus Savings" or the "Preferred Network Access", these plans were some of the most popular reduced fee for service dental programs available to the dentally uninsured. Not only was it affordable but it also had well over 60,000 participating dental providers across the USA making its network of participating dentists easily the largest of any discount dental program. For a few years there, CIGNA was the undisputed leader in discount dental plans.
So what happened to the plan which had everything going for it? I'll tell you what happened and I'll describe it with one word; unreliable! You simply could not count on the dentists that CIGNA provides its members to accept this plan as each dentist could arbitrarily decide which patients they took which ones they didn't. Imagine paying a full year membership of front to a role in the CIGNA plans only to go to a dentist on the list and be told by a 19-year-old receptionist with illusions of Godhood "Sorry, but we no longer take that plan".
It was experiences like this that kept piling up and piling up until running a discount program became one big headache for CIGNA. And who needs a headache? No one does which is why CIGNA got out of the discount dental plan game.
It's just too bad that instead of improving its discount dental plan by making all its dental providers sign a contract requiring them to honor their contractual commitments, CIGNA took the easy way out.
Goodbye CIGNA. We Won't Miss You.
Friday, December 15, 2006
Keep That "Sweet Tooth" Intact This Xmas
Eating a lot of holiday sweets may satisfy that "sweet tooth," but too much of a good thing might lead to unintended results for your teeth and gums, according to an American Dental Association (ADA) consumer advisor.
"If you don't bother to properly clean your teeth, the results might be tooth decay, gum disease and possible tooth loss," says Dr. Matthew Messina, an ADA consumer advisor and practicing dentist from the Cleveland area.
The reason is a sticky film of bacteria called plaque that constantly forms on the teeth and gums. When these bacteria come in contact with sugar or starch in the mouth, they produce acid that attacks the teeth for 20 minutes or more. Repeated attacks can cause tooth enamel to breakdown, eventually resulting in tooth decay.
It's not necessarily the amount of sugar in the sweets you put in your mouth that can cause damage, according to Dr. Messina.
"The stickier things are, like fruit cakes and gummy bears, the less likely they'll be washed out from between the teeth by saliva," warns Dr. Messina. "Any kind of candy that sticks to your teeth is more harmful than a chocolate bar that gets washed away."
Frequency and exposure play roles in tooth decay. Besides how often you snack, the length of tim of e food is in your mouth plays a role in tooth decay.
"Cough drops, hard candy and breath mints stay in the mouth for a long period," he adds. "Unless they are sugar-free products, the teeth are subjected to acid attacks while the product remains in the mouth."
The ADA offers the following tips to help reduce the risk of tooth-decay while still enjoying holiday sweets:
* Consume sugary foods with meals. Saliva production increases during meals and helps neutralize acid production and rinse food particles from the mouth.
* Limit between-meals snacks. If you crave a snack, choose nutritious foods and consider chewing sugarless gum afterward. Sugarless gum increases saliva flow and helps wash out food and decay-producing acid.
* Drink more water. Consuming optimally fluoridated water can help prevent tooth decay. If you choose bottled water, check the label for the fluoride content.
* Brush your teeth twice daily and floss daily.
* See your dentist regularly. If you cannot afford to see a dentist regularly, visit my web site and I'll show you how to save hundreds to thousands of dollars YEARLY on your dental expenses.
(NOTE: In that last recommendation, only the first four words are recommended by the ADA; the last 30 words are my recommendation for those who haven't figured that out by now.)
"If you don't bother to properly clean your teeth, the results might be tooth decay, gum disease and possible tooth loss," says Dr. Matthew Messina, an ADA consumer advisor and practicing dentist from the Cleveland area.
The reason is a sticky film of bacteria called plaque that constantly forms on the teeth and gums. When these bacteria come in contact with sugar or starch in the mouth, they produce acid that attacks the teeth for 20 minutes or more. Repeated attacks can cause tooth enamel to breakdown, eventually resulting in tooth decay.
It's not necessarily the amount of sugar in the sweets you put in your mouth that can cause damage, according to Dr. Messina.
"The stickier things are, like fruit cakes and gummy bears, the less likely they'll be washed out from between the teeth by saliva," warns Dr. Messina. "Any kind of candy that sticks to your teeth is more harmful than a chocolate bar that gets washed away."
Frequency and exposure play roles in tooth decay. Besides how often you snack, the length of tim of e food is in your mouth plays a role in tooth decay.
"Cough drops, hard candy and breath mints stay in the mouth for a long period," he adds. "Unless they are sugar-free products, the teeth are subjected to acid attacks while the product remains in the mouth."
The ADA offers the following tips to help reduce the risk of tooth-decay while still enjoying holiday sweets:
* Consume sugary foods with meals. Saliva production increases during meals and helps neutralize acid production and rinse food particles from the mouth.
* Limit between-meals snacks. If you crave a snack, choose nutritious foods and consider chewing sugarless gum afterward. Sugarless gum increases saliva flow and helps wash out food and decay-producing acid.
* Drink more water. Consuming optimally fluoridated water can help prevent tooth decay. If you choose bottled water, check the label for the fluoride content.
* Brush your teeth twice daily and floss daily.
* See your dentist regularly. If you cannot afford to see a dentist regularly, visit my web site and I'll show you how to save hundreds to thousands of dollars YEARLY on your dental expenses.
(NOTE: In that last recommendation, only the first four words are recommended by the ADA; the last 30 words are my recommendation for those who haven't figured that out by now.)
Monday, December 11, 2006
"Houston, We Have A Dental Emergency!"
Selling dental plans is not exactly the most exciting profession in the world. I mean, how dull do you have to be to find teeth being treated at 40% off exciting?
However, there is one exception in this business that makes me proud of what I do; helping people get their dental emergencies taken care of by a dentist. I really get a kick out of helping a patient with and emergency find a dentist who will treat them while also being able to save them anywhere from 25% to 60% off of their emergency-related dental bill.
Nonetheless, I will be the first to admit that there are many instances when you don't need a dentist to treat an emergency. Take toothaches for example; on my web site's page on Toothaches, I list 18 simple -and for the most part homeopathic- remedies which don't need dental professional to administer. In many cases these time-tested tips will help you get out of pain permanently without a trip to the dental office. More than likely, though, a toothache will require professional treatment.
This is when I come in.
I search, and search and search for just the right type of dental coverage so that the person can get to see an experienced dentist without having to pay full price... and then some!
It's a little-known fact that there are some dentists will charge you a "dental emergency fee" of as much as $25 if you request immediate treatment. Not only that, but this dental emergency fee is not covered by your insurance should you have any.
I'm proud to say that none of the dental plans I sell charge this extra fee for emergencies. I couldn't live with myself if I did!
Okay, maybe a could live with myself but I don't sell such plans, nonetheless.
However, there is one exception in this business that makes me proud of what I do; helping people get their dental emergencies taken care of by a dentist. I really get a kick out of helping a patient with and emergency find a dentist who will treat them while also being able to save them anywhere from 25% to 60% off of their emergency-related dental bill.
Nonetheless, I will be the first to admit that there are many instances when you don't need a dentist to treat an emergency. Take toothaches for example; on my web site's page on Toothaches, I list 18 simple -and for the most part homeopathic- remedies which don't need dental professional to administer. In many cases these time-tested tips will help you get out of pain permanently without a trip to the dental office. More than likely, though, a toothache will require professional treatment.
This is when I come in.
I search, and search and search for just the right type of dental coverage so that the person can get to see an experienced dentist without having to pay full price... and then some!
It's a little-known fact that there are some dentists will charge you a "dental emergency fee" of as much as $25 if you request immediate treatment. Not only that, but this dental emergency fee is not covered by your insurance should you have any.
I'm proud to say that none of the dental plans I sell charge this extra fee for emergencies. I couldn't live with myself if I did!
Okay, maybe a could live with myself but I don't sell such plans, nonetheless.
Monday, December 4, 2006
FYI: Free Prescription Drug Card
Yes, yes, I know this is about dental-related stuff but I want to quickly point out that one of my dental distributors as just opened up a new web site for people who do not have prescription drug coverage. It's called the USA Drug Plan and it's absolutely free!
All you need to do is go to the web site, type in the name of your prescription, the dosage and the amount prescribed and you can find out exactly how much money you can save by using this Rx card. You can even type in your ZIP code and get a list of pharmacies in your area that accept this prescription plan. If you decide on getting this plan, you can print out your membership card directly from the web site so you can start using it the same day.
Some other features I like a lot about this prescription drug plan are:
* It is accepted at about 80% of the pharmacies nationally
* No medications are excluded
* Your entire household can use it
* There are no claim forms to file
* You can use it even if you have insurance
* Instant use of card. Just bring to the pharmacist when you order your prescription
What kind of savings on prescription drugs are we talking about? The USA Drug Plan offers substantial discounts on all brand-name and generic drugs. How substantial? In brief, we save members an average of 12.5% on brand drugs and 22.7% on generic drugs. These average savings increase even more (20.8% on brand, 42.9% on generic) when members utilize the mail-order pharmacy option.
I love stuff that is free. "Free" is my favorite price.
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